It Could Have Been Worse

by Chante
(IN)

I remember growing up and having to go to a babysitter's house after school. I was there usually for 3 or 4 hours every day during the work week.

I remember my babysitter's husband had to have been an alcoholic. He would always smell of alcohol and would sometimes walk around with a bottle of some clear liquid in his hand. He never seemed to bother me or any of the other children in her home.

Now that I'm a grown-up, I realize what a terrible situation that could have been for me. I'm one of the ones that were around an alcoholic without being traumatized by their destructive behavior. I think the worst he did to us children was yell and curse at us to keep quiet every now and again from his room, where he usually spent the whole time I was there watching TV.

That is verbal abuse, but I never paid him much attention so it didn't bother me. We had zero relationship so his words meant nothing. I just about ignored him. I didn't have much chance to run into him as he stayed in his room.

I do remember he also smoked as he drank. The only way I knew he drank was whenever the door opened and I could smell the alcohol or when he yelled at us children and we could smell it on his breath.